Dune Jewelry founder Holly Daniels Christensen (right) and trailblazing cruise captain Kate McCue (left) brought a mutual love of travel and a spirit of adventure to their new collaboration on jewelry made with beach sand, water-inspired themes and colors, and mariner favorites like Rainbow Moonstone.
Daniels Christensen calls the nautical-themed collection Modern Mermaid, after McCue’s viral videos of swimming with a mermaid’s tale. Known online as Captain Kate, McCue entered the public eye in 2015 when she became commanding officer of the Celebrity Summit, which made her the first American woman to captain a mega cruise liner.
She is now captain of another Celebrity Cruises ship, the Celebrity Beyond, as well as a social media influencer, sharing her travel tips, mermaid swims, and personal photos. She has more than 3.6 million followers on TikTok; 951,000 on Instagram; and 78,000 on YouTube.
“I knew a bit about her because I follow her on social media, and I knew she had very refined taste but was also very playful,” says Daniels Christensen. “I reached out to her, and she agreed to collaborate on this collection. She’s such a great partner because she’s inquisitive by nature and wants to know all of the details.”
The Captain Kate x Dune Jewelry collection features rings, necklaces, and earrings in sterling silver or 14k gold vermeil that highlight Dune’s use of earth elements such as sand and pebbles. Many pieces have Rainbow Moonstone, which Daniels Christensen says sailors have treasured for centuries as a lucky charm that offers protection on their journeys.
Daniels Christensen says her collaboration with McCue started with a mood board, representing McCue’s favorite brands, colors, and images. From there, they created pieces that reflect McCue’s love of high jewelry and focus on water themes.
“You can always find her bracelet stack includes her favorite Cartier bracelet, but it also has her 4Ocean beaded bracelets, symbolizing her interest in ocean conservation,” Daniels Christensen says. “She wears luxury like no one else, but she also is very conscious of the environment and the world that she wants to live in and create for other people.”
A Dune team spent a week with McCue to finish the designs and shoot the advertising campaign. They enjoyed her exuberance and tales of her travels both as a captain and an avid swimmer, Daniels Christensen says.
“Sometimes it feels like we’re all moving so fast through life and we only want to know the headlines. But she wants to dig in, understand the concepts, and understand the production,” says Daniels Christensen. “Having someone be so involved was exciting, and her audience is so engaged with her as well. We’re looking forward to doing some Instagram Lives together to talk about the collection.”
Daniels Christensen founded Dune in 2010 and creates one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces using sand and other elements from beaches across the globe. The Captain Kate collection, which debuted in June, is available at Dune Jewelry’s website and its Cove boutique in Norwood, Mass.
(Photos courtesy of Dune Jewelry)
Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine
